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CVFisher was telling me he'd NEVER caught a catfish, so we aimed to change that. Met up in the afternoon and took a run over to Benson.

Now don't get me wrong - but Tom's a big guy, and I have a little boat. I'm often running solo, or try to get my boy to come with. Have had other adults in the boat, and the waves of Hyrum made me respect the boat's got limitations. We met one.

Started off from the launch - and granted didn't expect to get up on plane, but I was surprised as we started up and the nose started down - water over the bow - I stopped - water still over the bow. Now CV was facing backwards as that's how my seats are configgered. I hollered - "um, we've got a problem" (ok, a few explicatives were muttered too). . . CV moved to the middle, and the water came with him, the nose came up. Out came the bilge pump, and we were back under way - s l o w l y ! !

So - we got out to one of my money spots and parked up to pitch some lines. I set CV up with one of my patented (yeah right, not!) spinner, bead, octopus hook rigs under a bobber. I got the first diver - and waddayaknow - a mudcat. This was followed by - - - numerous other bright yellow fat-bellied mudder fudders. CV took a few swipes, then got some hookups. We played mudcat mayhem for a couple hours, then the wind died down, and the first channel (finally) came to play. I knew it had more fight to it, and then the bronze back revealed - NOT a carp!!

No record breakers today. I lucked into a number of bigger tugs (mixed with mudders) and landed 4 nice cookie cutters. Biggest was almost 3 lbs, at 17 inches. Unfortunately I couldn't convince the chubbers to grab CV's line. But - the mudders kept jumping him.

Bama Boy came passing by - and headed farther up to go poke some more carp. He's having a good time with that Bow!

As we were about ready to head back, I got one more hookup, and it was a fighter. Got a glimpse of something silvery, and for a minute thought I might be onto a toothy one, but it turned out to be a bass, BUT it turned to NOT be anudder or carp! So - suweet! Good tugs. Bama happened to be coming in too as the sun went over the mountain.

Thanks to CV for handling the net, and the camera (I actually got into a couple pix instead of being the guy behind the lens - sorry....). He didn't want to pose with any of the mudcats, so . . . . next time!

Sounds like some fun. Did you bait fish only or did you try some trolling? I got the boat licensed now so I hope I can try some trolling on Cutler before the seaweed makes it impossible. Guess I better use braided line for all the snags. Later J

It was good to meet CVfisher out there. Lavaman - definitely a lmb. Yote, glad to see you continuously producing some channels on your trips out there. I managed a couple of mudders and then decided to shoot some carp. Not too many surfacing last night, but I did manage a few. Here is the best shot I pulled off last night.

Thanks Yote. I had a great time out there on the Bear and I love the opportunity to learn as always. It was nice to have someone to chat with while waiting for a hookup. I will get one of those "good" cats yet. Skunked - trolling cutler? now that sounds like my kind of fishing. Are you targeting cats, or are you after eyes? Great afternoon and evening anyway with a real good guy. Hope we can meet up again soon and maybe I can show you how to put a hurting on the bucket mouths across the border.

For a minute I thought I heard you say 'money spots'. If that's the case, you better start showing us the 5+ lbers!

Hey now - I didn't say BIG MONEY! Anyway - last Sat I got three right around thte 5lb mark. Since we found them "there" (see GPS coordinates - NOT!), I thought they'd be into my old favorite spot. I still think they're in a staging mode.

Of note: I think Channels are vegetarians (ok, more like omivores). Of the few I've checked - seems those fat bellies are stuffed full - of green moss. A little salad before the main course?

Sadly - I don't think Cutler/Bear system gets stocked with anything. It's really too shallow and warm for trout. Though - I had heard there are some out there. Fish hatcheries may have lost a few, plus connecting up with the Little Bear and Logan rivers - could be browns around. But all that shallow mud and murk - not their favored stomping grounds. Now the cats-n-crappie - that's another story!

CV I had a blast last year at Willard trolling and nailing channels and walleye and I've heard a neighbor catch a few channels trolling on Cutler so I want to try it. It will be hard to troll that shallow but maybe a side planner will work anyway I'd like to try for awhile. Maybe on the May 5th flotilla. I tried once before with a bottom bouncer but I couldn't tell when I hit bottom the mud is too soft I guess. Well glad you had a fun day out. Later J

I caught one bitty kitty draging a blade rig behind a bottom bouncer. I've dragged rigs just behind bobbers even, and used a side-planer. Figured if I could drag something across the rocks (say along the rock wall, south of the road) that maybe I'd get into a bass/walleye. But NOooooo- just snagups. Doesn't mean I won't keep trying. But as you know - once those weeds get going - you just hit a patch and drag a load. Even without - all that green moss (that the cats are chowing) always seems to get all over whatever cranks, or jigs I might pitch or drag. At least pitching you get to clean between casts. Washing lures - just seem to get dirty.

Then there's the log snags - at least when I tried dragging baits in the river.

I do want to try pulling more bouncers at Willard. Have pulled planer boards around there - same notion - send something up along the rocks, w/o being over top of it.

J- you still gonna do Willard friday? Bad turn of weather.

Got a note from a guy who landed a 15#er out of Cutler. Put my cookies to shame! There's some chunks out there! I'm gonna get some of this stretchy surgical wrap I just saw a vid on. Might try some livers or beef parts. Parts is parts...

Yote yes I do think I'm crazy and I haven't succeeded in my past attempts on the river but somebody taught me once if you fail to try try again and I have a couple spots in mind that I think may have a fishable combination at least if I get after it before the moss monster takes over. I do think you're right Cutler does have some big kitties and it's kind of crazy to drive clear to Willard when Cutler is doing okay. Biggest draw to Willard is wiper for me. Still looking for my first. I need to make some contacts for the Friday plan but I think I'm still planning on it. Are you still on for the Bear flotilla on May 5th? I think that will be a blast. I will probably take the boat instead of my toon since I haven't got my motor mounted on it yet. Got to get my welder out and finish it and get my battery box floatation put together. Are you fishing tomorrow or working? Later J

Yote I think I'm chickening out on Willard for tomorrow. Weather report sounds like 10 to 20 mph winds so I'm probably punting to Hyrum or Cutler where there is more wind protection. That will probably make it glass on Willard for everyone else, but guess I'll make that call. Later J

What are u doing with that silly crawler on the end of your line? Use those carp minnows on a jig or a hook it doesnt even hurt to let your minnows sit in the sun for a bit and get a bit ripe. I also would lose the bobber and go with a split shot or sliding sinker. Let it sit and let the cats smell it and come to you, the big fellas feed at night, so just setting your bait on the bottom is your best bet during daylight, but im telling you u have the numbe one bait for giant cats out there.........i gotta show u this pic because somebody wondered why trout are not out there! Look what i yanked in during late march.....Every catfish i have ever caught in cutler or the bear has been full of moss and nothing else, its kinda gross and gives the meat a yellowish stain at times. Maybe we are overthinking the fish, maybe we should just go grab a handful of slimy moss and float it on top (just kidding) anyway sounds like you are improving every day, and it wont be long before your hauling out the 10 to 15 pounders, maybe even the few 20 pound beasts, ive seen one 20 lber caught and weighed about 10 yrs ago and we threw her back so hopefully she is still alive.

Anyway here is a pic of my benson marina trout, and a 28 inch spawned out male walleye i caught last week. The walleye didnt have a single thing in his belly and must have been recovering when my crappie jig hit him in the face. It was pretty intense landing the beast on 4 lb test and a weak 1/32 oz jig!

J- wouldn't say ya chickened out - so much as came to your senses . Have ta see how the day works out. Woke up to a skiff of snow, and lots of worms everywhere - grabbed a few to "save" them from drowning - so I can drown them later! I'm still game to the 5th - we'll have to sort out details next week.

Monster: Thanks for the positive suggestions. Ya know I've been soaking some of them carp, and been getting nothing, while the worm-bobber keeps diving. I did get one determined SLAM, and then nothing - but the head was chomped down on pretty good (had ZERO drag set too - easy pull, but . . . ). Maybe I need to give them the "pizza slits" TD talks about with his whities. Though I agree- bigger baits, bigger fish. Generally find the shrimp keep the mudders off some. But everybody likes worms (kinda like Donkeys and Parfait!)

A bud sent me a shot of a 15#er they landed at 3 in the afternoon - off carp guts. Natural bait, but even in the daytime. Thought it was interesting - he described the line tick-ticking out 6 inches at a time, and then ZOOM it was off. Musta been sampling, then decided - Yuuup I want THAT!

You've proved that night-time is the right time for the bigguns - but question for ya - I've read that flatheads will lunker down in the daytime - then take off on a "feeding route" during the night, then likely return to the same bedding spot. Do you think the big Channels have a "route" they migrate? Likely to find them in the same places the cookies cruise, or do they have different zones they like to hit?

Guess it's all about the amino acids! I was thinnin the same thing about that green goop. Maybe if it's tied up in a sack . . .

Nice on the Walleye, and hitting a good trout. Seen some others, and they weren't dinks. Ever catch a perch out of them waters?

It is pretty rare however i have caught 5 males in the 26 to29 inch mark this year. 4 of the males were actually dropping sperm as i dragged them out of the water pretty gross!! The one in the picture i assumed was a male and when i cleaned it i was correct. My fishing buddy Gotbait who is a fisheries dude also showed me how to tell if they are male or female after they are spawned out. Male fish actually have testicles inside them, that look like little organs. I had no idea until he showed me this year. I am not sure how I caught so many giant males this year, i was shocked myself. I guess when ya haul in the amount i have this spring your bound to have some good ones. Gotbait has been with me to witness 2 of the giant spermers this year, but they dont compare to his 33 inch 13 pound female he caught and released!

Would say most definatley you would find bigger cats at night in the same places where you catch your cookies. I have found the big channels to be like big walleye late at night, they move into the shallows to chow on the baitfish. I have caught a few perch but it has been about 25 years ago when i was a kid fishing it with my dad.

Old lady gets hired on to work in a Tickle Me Elmo factory, gets her instructions and starts off to work on the assembly line. Supervisor stops in to check on her, and finds she's stitching pairs of balls onto the dolls scrotum area.

Supervisor goes ballistic and hollers at the poor woman, "No no NO!!! I said TWO - TEST - TICKLES!"

I have seen that boat guys and holy cow I am surprised that both of you fit. I thought myself wouldn't fit after seeing that boat at Hyrum last fall.

Great job on the cats, betting CvFisher is trying to get all cuddly with the boaters up north. Well until you get your next boat right CvFisher? Friends with boats is better than having your own boat sometimes.

-TDT (AKA Spike's Pike)

"Like you were gonna marry a carp and put in a tank or something, let it wear a pink dress, and have coffee and conversations with it." - harlin

Yote I seen a small boat with two guys out on Cutler Saturday was that you and Ben? We were working on the deck project there on the east shore. I assume it must have been a slow day since I didn't see a post. I went water boarding worms after the deck with only one kitten to show for that hour. Course I missed a half dozen bites but it was a lot slower than last week but I did get moved out of my favorite spot since BA beat me too it and stayed all weekend. Wish he would find another spot or get a life so he didn't keep things tied up all the time. Later J

The "passenger" is actually me. Usually don't get "in" the photos, as I'm typically behind the lens. CVf chose not to pose with his mad-dog mudcats, so . . .

Never taught at Mnt Crest, though I did teach some Biology classes at USU, well - TA'd some labs and such.

My little tug boat is SO old - I don't even have the ratings plackard that would tell you what the boat's capacity is and such. TDT - heard a few tails of your BL adventures, some good chuckles there bud! I would like to give those big lakers and cutties a chase! If CVf is willing to show me the ways of the north, I'm all over that! We'll be trying some of those Idaho lakes, and hopefully we can get by without wet feet next time!

Minnows? Nope. Shad? Not’a. Aquatic insects? Not even close. Go ahead fishin’ geeks, take the micrometer from out of your pocket-protector and start measuring. It won’t take you long to realize no two specimens in...
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